Assessment of Cardioprotective Effects of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Stem Barks from Trichilia emetica against Cardiotoxicity Induced by Doxorubicin in Wistar Rats

Aims: This study was to evaluate cardioprotective effects of extracts of stem barks from Trichilia emetica against cardiotoxicity induced by doxorubicin.

Methodology: This experiment was performed as follows: Group I receives some distilled water; group II receives doxorubicin only. Group III was administered 25 mg/kg b. w. of resveratrol only; Group IV received 25 mg/kg b. w. of resveratrol + doxorubicin. The groups V, VI, VII and VIII received respectively, 100 mg/kg b. w. of ethanolic extract + doxorubicin, 100 mg/kg b. w. of aqueous extract + doxorubicin, 200 mg/kg b. w. of ethanol extract + doxorubicin and 200 mg/kg b. w. of aqueous extract + doxorubicin. The other groups IX, X, XI and XII also received 100 mg/kg b. w. of aqueous extract, 200 mg/kg b. w. of aqueous extract, 100 mg/kg b. w. of ethanol extract and 200 mg/kg b. w. of ethanolic extract respectively. Distilled water, resveratrol and extracts were administered orally for 14 consecutive days. Doxorubicin was administered only on the 13th day by intraperitoneal route. 48 hours after administration of doxorubicin, blood samples were collected for biochemical analyzes: CK-MB, CPK, LDH, transaminases and lipid profile.

Results: Doxorubicin treated rats showed a significant (P˂0.05) increased in activity of creatinine kinase-MB (CK-MB), creatinine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate deshydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglycerides, total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol compared to the control group. The results showed a significant decrease in HDL-cholesterol in comparison with the control group. However, pretreatment of rats with the extracts induced a significant decrease of the same enzymes, Total- Cholesterol, LDL- Cholesterol, triglycerides but also by a significant increase in HDL-cholesterol relative to the group of doxorubicin.

Conclusion: The results suggest that extracts of stem barks from Trichilia emetica possess cardioprotective effect.